Feelings of Guilt
by Machias Banshee
Summary: A day of fun turns disastrous, and Donatello's guilt for what happened leads him into a tangled web of lies... Please, R&R!
1. It's all fun and games til someone gets ...

Chapter one  
  
  
  
During one early afternoon, three six-year-old turtles sat anxiously on a dilapidated sofa, crossing their fingers and muttering silent prayers. They looked up hopefully when they saw their brother dash into the room.  
  
"Guys, Master Splinter said we could have free time out in the sewer," Raphael said with a big smile.  
  
"Alright! Yahoo!" his brothers cheered happily. Splinter entered the room and the young turtles turned, looking up at their father with excited eyes.  
  
"I believe your hard work this week should be rewarded. You all have been working quite diligently and I am very pleased. But remember, my sons, to stay within the boundary limits I have given you. I will be here in the living room if you need me for anything".  
  
"Yes, Master," his sons answered, eagerly waiting to be set free.  
  
"Enjoy yourselves, my sons, you have earned it." The young turtles stood, bowed once, and scampered out the door, readily getting into play mode. Splinter sat down in his chair with a smile. And I have earned some rest. They certainly can be a handful, but I wouldn't miss it for anything. He chuckled softly and picked up his book.  
  
"So what are we gonna play, huh, what're we gonna play?" Michaelangelo asked excitedly. "How about.hide and seek?" Leonardo suggested first.  
  
"What about Tag?" Donatello asked.  
  
"Yeah, let's do tag!" Raphael agreed.  
  
"Wait a minute, who's going to be 'it'?" Leonardo asked. His three brothers exchanged evil grins.  
  
"Run! Leonardo's it!" Michaelangelo giggled mischievously. In a split second, Leonardo's brothers rushed away from his reach as fast as they could.  
  
"Wha- hey how come I have to be- oh, that's it I'm gonna get you guys!" Leo called as he took off after his brothers. Leonardo first ambushed Mike, jumping from a ladder and tackling him to the ground.  
  
"You're 'it' Mikey," Leo said evilly. Then he got up and hurried away, laughing.  
  
"Hey, that wasn't fair! You cheated! I can't run fast anyway, you're all taller than me!" Michaelangelo complained as he stood up and wiped stuff off his face from landing in the muck.  
  
"That's never stopped you before, Mikey," Raphael teased.  
  
"Betcha can't get me, Shorty," Donatello said. He pretended he was going to sit down. Mike scowled at him.  
  
"Shorty?! I'll show you who's a Shorty!" Michaelangelo said angrily. He dashed after his brother like a leopard. Donnie leapt to his feet and took off.  
  
"I'm gonna get you, Donnie," Mike said, trying to speed up. The two young turtles ran so fast, they didn't realize how far they had gone until they saw a large conduit pipe. Donatello and Michaelangelo both stopped as soon as they saw it.  
  
"Uh-oh, we better get back to the boundary limits before the other two see us out here and tell Master Splinter," Mike said anxiously. They knew they were out of the boundary limits that their father strictly enforced. There could be serious consequences for disobeying the rules. They started to turn back towards the boundaries when Mike suddenly froze.  
  
"What's wrong, Mikey?" Donnie questioned him.  
  
"D-Donnie, w-w-what's that?" Mike asked, pointing to a dark corner. Donatello turned to look and saw a pair of glowing eyes. They slowly started to step back, when a large dog revealed itself. It glared at the two little turtles and growled. It looked like a Doberman or maybe a Rottweiler, but with a nastier temper.  
  
"Hey, what are you guys doing out here, you know we're not allow-Uh-oh," Leonardo and Raphael had come after them and stopped upon seeing the dog. The four turtles continued to back up slowly, hoping that the dog wasn't going to come after them. It suddenly lunged, barking ferociously.  
  
"Run back to the lair!" Leonardo yelled as they ran as fast as their little legs could carry them. They ran around a corner and hid, listening quietly.  
  
"Hey, I don't hear the dog anymore", Raphael whispered between breaths.  
  
"W-where's Donnie?" Mikey gasped, looking around frightfully. That was when they realized they were short one brother.  
  
"Oh no, the dog must have him," Leonardo said as he looked back at the dark tunnel," Raph, you and Mikey go get Master Splinter, I'm gonna go help Don." Raphael opened his mouth to argue, but when his brother started to drag him back towards the lair, he decided that now was definitely not the right time. Leonardo watched as they disappeared, took a deep breath, and ran back towards his entrapped brother.  
  
Donatello tried to get up after tripping on something, but couldn't move his ankle.  
  
"Oh no," he said in dread. He looked up as the big dog circled him menacingly, looking him over like a piece of meat.  
  
"Uh, nice doggie?" He said, hoping the dog would not think of him as a possible next meal. All Donnie could see was a big, black blur as the dog sprang at him.  
  
WHUMP!  
  
Donatello looked up from where he was crouching. Instead of the dog being in front of him, it was the panting form of his brother.  
  
"Are you okay, Donnie?" Leonardo said, trying to help his brother to his feet.  
  
"I think my ankle's broken," Donnie replied through clenched teeth. They turned to leave, when they heard growling quickly approaching them.  
  
"Leo, Look ou-" before he was able to finish his yell, the dog attacked Leonardo, jumping onto his shell and pushing him forward. Donnie tried to stay standing, but when he put his weight on his bad ankle, he fell to the ground. Unable to move out of fear, he watched as the dog mauled his brother.  
  
Leonardo fought with the dog, throwing some blocks and punches to its face. The dog's split lip began to bleed, seemingly intensifying the fire of its rage. The dog swiped back, and Leonardo looked down in surprise; Red lines of blood started to seep out of his arm slowly. That one glance downward was all the time the dog needed. The dog knocked him down, causing him to hit his head on something hidden in the sludge. Leonardo was knocked unconscious, thus unable to protect himself from the dog's assault.  
  
Donatello looked on fearfully, racking his brain to think of what to do, when he noticed something. Right above the dog, a section of pipe teetered across another one, threatening to plummet over the edge. An idea suddenly popped into his head, and Donnie stood up as quickly and as carefully as he could. Holding his Bo like a javelin, he carefully aimed and launched it toward the pipe. The Bo hit dead on, providing enough force to set it off. The pipe rocked slowly, and then fell over the edge, landing right on top of the dog's head.  
  
DIINNGG!  
  
The dog staggered back, getting off of the form laying down in the sewer gunk. Yes, It worked! It stopped attacking Leo! The dog shook its head and glared menacingly at the small figure that had caused the pipe to hit it in the head. Donatello lost his balance from the force he had put into the throw, and fell down, pain shooting through his ankle in pulsating waves. The dog growled, baring its teeth. Oh no! I shouldn't have thrown my Bo. Now I don't have a weapon anymore!  
  
Don tried to push himself away, scooting back as fast as he could. The dog was still a lot faster, and leaped towards its cowering target with a renewed sense of deadly intentions. 


	2. Uh-oh... this doesn't look good

Chapter Two  
  
Donatello opened his eyes, wondering why he had not been attacked. The dog was gagging against a large staff that had been thrust into its neck, pushing it back. Don looked up the staff until he saw the tall form of his sensei standing right behind him, keeping the evil dog at bay.  
  
"Donatello, stay with Leonardo while I attempt to get rid of this beast", Splinter told him, not taking his eyes away from the dog's. Donnie quickly slid over to his brother, who was still lying down in the sewer muck. Splinter continued to block the dog from getting past him, pushing it further and further away from his sons. The dog finally grew frustrated at the repeated blocks and blows it was getting from the giant creature with the big stick and jumped back. With a heart-stopping death glare aimed at the two young turtles, the dog finally turned around and ran off into the darkness.  
  
Quickly, Splinter knelt down, looking back and forth at Donatello (who was shaking uncontrollably and clutching his ankle) and Leonardo (who was unconscious).  
  
"Donatello, are you all right? Tell me what happened," Splinter asked as he carefully felt Leonardo's neck for any injuries, and turned him onto his side.  
  
"That- that dog was-about to-to jump at me- but then Leo-"  
  
His sentence stopped short when he saw his brother. Many bloody claw marks and lacerations sliced into Leonardo's small body. Bruises peppered his arms and legs, and his face was covered in bloody scratches.  
  
Splinter sighed sadly as he felt his heart sink. A good number of the cuts would need stitches. Leonardo looked pale from blood loss, and felt a little cool, possibly from shock. He started to worry: Where did this dog come from? What had happened before he had arrived? Why did this dog suddenly attack his sons? How long could it take for Leonardo to recuperate- IF he could recuperate? He continued to check for broken bones or anything of the sort. Luckily, there were no bite marks that he could see on either of the boys.  
  
"Come, my son, we must return home quickly," Splinter said as he reached down to pick up his unconscious son. Splinter paused as Don did not get up and looked at him questioningly.  
  
"Master, I-I think my ankle's- broken," Don said worriedly. Splinter gently examined his son's ankle, observing how he reacted to each touch.  
  
"Not broken, but it is badly fractured," Splinter told him. Knowing that both of his sons were not in any shape to walk, he strapped his staff onto his back, lifted his sons into his arms, and took them back to the lair.  
  
Raphael and Michaelangelo watched in horror as their master entered the lair, holding their brothers.  
  
"Is Leonardo okay? Is there anything we can do to help?" his two sons asked worriedly.  
  
"We will see what happens", Splinter told them," Donatello, sit here in the living room for now." Donatello was gently lowered to the couch, being careful of his injured ankle.  
  
"I must tend to Leonardo. We will find out how he is soon enough", Splinter said as he calmly brought his son into his study.  
  
Donatello sat on the couch, hoping his brother would be okay. Images of the dog flashed through his mind.as well as images of Leo trying to protect him from the dog- only to become the victim himself. Don started to feel tightness in his chest and an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach. He suddenly realized what he was feeling- Guilt. He hadn't really done anything to help Leonardo from getting mauled by the dog. His mind whirled with thoughts and questions: Could I have done something to stop Leo from getting hurt? Am I responsible for what happened? What if Leo doesn't survive? Would I get the blame? What would Master Splinter and my brothers think? Fear rose in his mind and he felt as if a heavy weight had been put onto his shoulders. The pain of his fractured ankle was becoming stronger, and he started to feel cold. He began to feel lightheaded, and all he could remember was the floor of the lair coming up to meet his face before he slipped into darkness. 


	3. Not out of the woods yet...

Chapter Three  
  
He moaned and opened his eyes slowly. The soft flickering of a candle on the table beside the old rocking chair was the only source of light in the room.  
  
"Ahh, awake now, I see. How do you feel, my son?" Don looked up slowly. He was covered with a blanket, and positioned carefully in Splinter's lap, with his head leaning on his master's arm. Donatello could feel the wrapping on his injured ankle, and the pain that had fortunately died down a bit.  
  
"My ankle hurts and I have a headache", Don said quietly.  
  
"I would not be surprised my son," Splinter said gently with an eyebrow raised, "you had quite a fall in the den when you fainted." That's what happened? Oh man, I must have been in 'shock'- if that's what they call it, Donnie thought.  
  
"I didn't know I fainted," Donnie said in surprise.  
  
" You certainly did. I brought you in here after your brothers told me that you had fallen and had not woken up. After I tended Leonardo, I took care of your ankle. I wanted to keep an eye on both of you, so I kept you in here. You have been unconscious for about two hours."  
  
Don could now see his brother lying in the cot in front of him, with bandages and stitches scattered all over his body. Splinter had Donatello sit up and drink some sour-tasting tea to help his ankle heal. After puckering his face from the sour tea, Don looked at his brother again and looked up to his master nervously.  
  
"How is Leonardo, is he gonna be okay?" Don asked worriedly. Splinter looked at his son on the bed and returned his gaze to the one sitting in his lap.  
  
"He will be fine. He is going to take a while to heal, however. He has gone into a state similar to hibernation. In doing so, his body will be able to heal itself. It will take some time, though", Splinter told him.  
  
There was a slight pause, and Donnie looked up. Splinter was looking at Leonardo with so much worry in his eyes.and disappointment. Don shrunk, lowering his head. Was Splinter mad with him? Donnie wished that Leo would wake up and say he was okay, so it could be all over.  
  
"My son, can you tell me what happened?" Splinter asked. Don felt his breath catch, and shook his head. He didn't want to say anything, but his master asked him directly. What could he do? He didn't want to lie, but he was too scared to tell the truth.  
  
"I can't remember all that well. I just know that the dog attacked Leonardo. I don't feel like talking right now, Master", Donnie replied. He held his breath, hoping he had been convincing enough to be able to avoid the topic at hand.  
  
"That is all right, I know you are still frightened. I will not pressure you", Splinter said kindly. Don made a mental sigh of relief. Safe for now, he thought  
  
"Now, you must get some rest my son", his sensei replied. Splinter stood up to go put his son to bed, when Donnie stopped him.  
  
"Master, can I stay in here with Leo for a little while, please?" his son begged. Splinter was about to shake his head, but the plea was so apparent in the young turtle's eyes, he couldn't say no.  
  
"He needs to rest and recover, as do you, but I will allow you to have some time with him", Splinter said. He set Don down on the rocking chair, and left the room for a moment to speak to his other sons.  
  
Raph and Mike were sitting on the floor in front of the couch when Splinter approached. He sat on the edge of the sofa; the two turtles turned and knelt in front of him.  
  
"How is Leo and Donnie doing? Can we see them?" the younger of the two asked. "They will be fine. No, Michaelangelo, I'm afraid not- not for a little while. Leonardo is going to take a while to recover, and Donatello needs much quiet and rest." The two turtles' faces dropped sadly.  
  
"Do not worry my sons, they will recover soon. Just give them time", Splinter smiled. He decided that evening practice would not be held- no one was in shape to workout, mentally or physically. He let the two boys have some quiet time and returned to his study.  
  
Splinter opened the door to find Donatello sitting on the floor beside the cot, half asleep.  
  
"I believe it is time for you to get some rest, my son", Splinter said, kneeling down to pick up his son.  
  
"I'm not tired, sensei, please let me stay a while longer", Donnie protested, shaking his head while trying to suppress a yawn.  
  
"You are going to get some rest now. No arguing," Splinter scolded him quietly, giving him a gentle tap on the shell with his hand. Donnie obeyed and curled up in his father's embrace, falling asleep in the warmth of his arms. Splinter walked into the boys' shared room and put his son to bed. After bringing the blanket up to his son's chin, he turned out the light and left the room. Donatello snuggled into his blanket and went to sleep.  
  
Little did he know of what was to come. 


	4. Sweet Dreams... or is it?

Chapter Four  
  
Donnie looked up from where he was laying and rubbed his eyes. He found himself out in the living room in front of the sofa.  
  
"What's going on? Why am I out here?" Donnie said to himself. That was when he saw the door of the lair open. Something was wrong. He looked around the room for any sign of his brothers or his master when he gasped.  
  
On the floor lay his brothers, all broken and bloody. Then he saw his master knelt beside them. He was covered in spats of blood, but not his own. Donnie cringed in fright as Splinter lifted the still body of one of his brothers and looked at him.  
  
"You could have saved them. Why didn't you help them?" Splinter said in a ragged voice, "They are dead.and it's ALL YOUR FAULT". Before Don could say anything, the dog suddenly appeared beside his sensei.  
  
"Master, look out, the dog's gonna get you!" Donatello cried out desperately. The tall rat looked at the dog, not showing any fear. Then, he pointed to the remaining turtle that sat partially hidden in front of the couch. To Donnie's horror, the dog seemed to nod in agreement and growled ominously. He tried to scream, but his voice froze as the dog leapt forward.  
  
"Nooooo!!"  
  
He quickly sat up, gulping in air as if he had never breathed before, and looked at his surroundings. He found himself back in his bed, safe and sound. He wiped off the beads of sweat that formed on his forehead and sighed.  
  
"Oh, it was just another dream," he said to himself.  
  
The dreams that had been coming to him were getting worse every night, and he was getting less and less sleep as the days passed. It was affecting him so badly that he started having difficulties in practice. He ended up falling asleep early in the evening, but stayed up most of the night because of the dreams. He was about to lay back down when he heard movement in the bunk beside him.  
  
"Hey, Donnie, are you okay?" Raphael asked as he sat up from under his blanket.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine," Donnie answered quickly. His brother looked at him, unconvinced.  
  
"What, did you have a nightmare or something?" His brother asked, folding his arms, " Come on Donnie, what is it?"  
  
Donatello ignored his brother and laid back down, trying to go back to sleep. Instead, he found himself being stripped of his blanket. Raph held it in one hand and looked at his brother expectantly.  
  
"Come on Don, you have been acting weird ever since the dog attack two days ago, not to mention waking up every night, what gives?" Raphael asked him again. Don paused for a second. Two days? He couldn't believe it had been that long since the attack. He guessed he just was too distracted to notice. Everyone was a bit preoccupied since what had happened to Leo. Raphael had been grumpier and short-tempered, which was not good since Mike's pent-up nervous energy often resulted in some sort of mischief or prank to occur.  
  
"I told you it's nothing," Donatello repeated, stating to become frustrated.  
  
"Don't give me that, bro, something's bothering you," Raphael said," come on, spill it."  
  
Donnie usually wasn't one to do anything disruptive, but his patience was worn out.  
  
"I said I'm FINE!" Donnie replied angrily, and crouched on his hands and knees to rescue his kidnapped blanket.  
  
"Donatello, Raphael, what is going on in here?" The two young turtles froze and turned towards the voice. Splinter had entered the room, a candle in hand. He walked up to the bunk beds, frowning slightly.  
  
"Why are you two awake at such a time? What was the cause of this argument?" Splinter asked. Donnie plopped back down into his bed and hesitated. He didn't want to tell Splinter about his dreams, but Raph might say something. So he did something he thought he would never do: he lied, again, straight to his master's face, and put the blame on his brother.  
  
"Raphael said he was cold and took my blanket. Then he said I couldn't have it back," Donnie fibbed. Raphael looked at his brother in shock. Did Donnie just LIE to Master Splinter?! Doesn't he know what would happen if Splinter found out that he lied? Needless to say, Raph was speechless.  
  
"Wha-what?! No I- " Raph started, stuttering. Splinter put up a hand, silencing them.  
  
"I believe this discussion can wait until tomorrow morning. But for now, both of you go back to sleep. Especially you, Donatello; you have been very exhausted for the past few days, and I am getting concerned. I want to hear no more arguing for the rest of the night, is that clear?" Splinter ordered.  
  
The two turtles nodded their heads slowly. Splinter watched them as they lay back down. He saw Raphael giving his brother a dirty look, and Donatello's eyes remained downcast. Something is going on here, but what? Splinter thought, There is more here than meets the eye.  
  
The Sensei's thoughts were interrupted by a small tug on his kimono. He glanced down to see Michaelangelo up on his elbows, looking at him with bleary eyes and clutching his robe with one hand.  
  
"Wha's goin' on Masser Splinner?" Mike asked tiredly, his words slurred. Splinter knelt down and patted his small hand.  
  
"It is nothing, Michaelangelo. Go back to sleep, my son," He assured him. The little turtle nodded obediently and fell back to sleep, purring a little snore. Splinter returned his gaze to his two sons, and sighed lightly.  
  
"We will continue our conversation in the morning. Goodnight, my sons," Splinter said. He glanced at Leonardo's empty bunk worriedly, and then left the bedroom, casting it once again into darkness. Donnie hugged his pillow and tried to go to sleep, when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He opened his eyes to see his brother looking at him with anger and shock at the same time.  
  
"You lied to Master Splinter! Don't you know what he says about lying? 'It doesn't take much to lie, but once it's done, it's even harder to take it back'. When Splinter finds out, you're gonna get in a lot of trouble," Raphael told him before going back to sleep.  
  
Donnie thought about his brother's words. He didn't like being dishonest, but he was too scared. The fear of what would happen when Master Splinter found out about his deception lingered in his mind. Donnie knew that their father sternly disapproved of lying.  
  
He remembered the first time he saw the consequences of not being honest. Mike and Raph had snuck out of the lair to look at some snow that had fallen through an open grate. When they came back with Mike having a bruised arm (from falling on some ice), they tried to say that he had done it during a sparring session. However, the accidental mention of snow ended up exposing their little lie. As for their punishments, well, let's just say they had a hard time sitting for about half an hour. Splinter could be very strict when it came to administering punishments, especially when it came to lying.  
  
Donnie's mind raced nervously. He didn't want to get in trouble, but he had already lied to his father- twice. How much more did he have to do? If only he wasn't so scared about Splinter finding out about the dog attack! Then this would never have happened!  
  
He soon came to the conclusion that he wasn't gonna get out of this easily. He also knew that he certainly was not going to be able to go back to sleep that night.  
  
If only he knew the nightmares that lie ahead. 


	5. Back for some action...

Chapter Five!  
  
Thank you sooo much for your reviews! Don't worry, there's lots more to come!!! =)  
  
  
  
An hour or two after the argument, Donatello quietly crawled out of his bunk bed and crept into his Master's Study. He knew they were not allowed in there when Splinter was not present, but he wanted to check on Leonardo. Donnie's fears and guilt about the attack were grating on his mind, and he grew more and more worried as the days passed. Splinter had continuously kept vigil on his 'oldest' son, and kept a wary eye on Donnie, still trying to find out what had happened to cause this attack.  
  
Donatello slowly approached the door, listening intently. He wanted to make sure that he wasn't going to get caught going inside. Once he was sure that there was no one in the room, he very slowly opened the door. The door creaked ever so slightly, and he stopped. The adult who was in the room down the hall could hear even the smallest noise made by anything. He had to be careful. He waited a minute before continuing his entry into the study.  
  
The room was dark and smelled of jasmine. The cool air made his skin shiver, and his nose tickle. He tried frantically to stifle the sneeze, knowing that it certainly would cause someone to wake up, someone he sure didn't want to catch him now! The sneeze came out as a low squeak. He suddenly heard movement and dove behind Splinter's chair, hoping that he wasn't going to be found.  
  
"Donatello, what's going on?"  
  
Donnie's head shot up as he suddenly recognized the voice. Leonardo was carefully trying to sit up, and looked at his brother, squinting at him. Donnie quickly got out of his hiding place and hugged his brother, being careful of the stitches and bandages on his arms.  
  
"How do ya feel, Leo?" Donnie asked, relieved to see that his brother was awake.  
  
"I hurt all over, I have a headache, and I'm really tired," Leo replied as he rubbed his head. He suddenly felt the stitches on his arms and legs, and looked at his brother with surprise.  
  
"What happened to me? Why am I stitched up and covered in bandages?" Leo asked, looking himself over.  
  
"Don't worry Leo, when Master Splinter wakes up, I'll tell him you're awake. He can tell you what happened. Go back to sleep Leo, I'm glad you're doing better," Donatello replied quickly. Leo nodded and laid back down, yawned once, and was asleep again. Don put a blanket over his brother and stealthily returned to his own bed, grateful that his brother was going to be all right.  
  
Donnie woke up that morning and went to find Splinter, but couldn't locate him. He went over to Raphael and Michaelangelo who were standing at the kitchen table.  
  
"Well, look who woke up," Raph remarked as he went over to the closet, " now you can help us with the chores."  
  
"Where is Master Splinter?" Donnie asked as he was given a mop.  
  
"He went out to find breakfast," Mike said," He should be back so-" He was suddenly bopped in the face with a scrubby sponge.  
  
"Quit your yapping and get to work," Raph said with an evil grin.  
  
"Ye-uck," Mike replied as he picked up the sponge.  
  
"How come no one woke me up?" Donnie asked as he started to clean the floor.  
  
"Sensei said that you needed the rest, so he let you sleep in," Mikey replied, scrubbing the walls of the kitchen. Donnie paused for a moment. He wanted Splinter to know that Leo had woken up, but that would mean that he would have to give away the fact that he had gone into his father's study, when he wasn't supposed to -- thus getting him into even MORE trouble.  
  
Maybe.maybe I'll tell Splinter later, or maybe let him find Leo up himself", Donnie thought," I don't want Leo to tell Master Splinter about the dog attack, cuz then I'd get into trouble for letting the dog hurt him as well as all the lying I did. Donatello continued with his cleaning duties in silence.  
  
About half an hour later, the three young turtles heard scratching at the door of the lair.  
  
"What do you think that is?" Mike asked nervously.  
  
"It's probably just a rat trying to get in the door," Raphael remarked. However, the scratching grew louder, and the little ones grew anxious.  
  
"Um, I don't think it's just a rat, Raph," Donnie said quietly. Suddenly loud barking erupted from behind the door. The scratching turned into banging as the DOG broke down the door and stepped inside.  
  
  
  
. 


	6. All Hell breaks loose

Sorry about the long wait, everyone. Winter break was on. Hey, good things take time! ;)   
  
Chapter Six  
  
The young turtles were frozen in their places as the dog stepped into the den. It walked with a scritch-scratching sound as it stalked along the concrete floor. The dog raised its head and sniffed the air. It slowly turned its head towards the three young ones and held their gaze. Donatello's breath became shallow and ragged, as if thinking if he did not move, maybe it would not see him. It was similar to how a predator kept the prey occupied until another attacked it from a different direction.  
  
"H-how did it find the lair?!" Raphael asked, barely moving his beak.  
  
"It must have seen Master Splinter leave," Donnie answered motionlessly, " It must have been waiting for him to go."  
  
"I think its hunting us," Michaelangelo whispered as his voice broke. The very thought of those words sent chills down their spines. As if on cue, the dog suddenly broke into a full gallop, coming at them like a speeding train.  
  
"RUN!" Raphael yelled as he picked up the mop from the floor, "I'll hold it off!"  
  
"You can't do that, it'll hurt you just like Leo!" Mike cried as Donnie pulled him up onto the table in the kitchen.  
  
"You're crazy, Raph, it's too dangerous!" Donnie said desperately. Their brother ignored their pleadings and approached the dog, wielding the mop as a weapon. The dog skidded to a halt as Raphael thrust the mop at its face. As though remembering the attack that it had endured from the big rat days ago, it quickly grabbed the mop with its mouth and jerked its head back sharply. Raphael suddenly found himself disarmed and cornered by the evil dog.  
  
"Uh-oh, I think we have a problem here," Raphael said nervously. The dog inched closer, growling ominously. Without thinking, Michaelangelo grabbed up his sponge and threw it at the dog's head. Donnie tried to hold his arm back, but was a second too slow.  
  
"Wait, Mike, it'll get—"  
  
*Splat! *  
  
The sponge bounced off harmlessly, but the dog snapped its head around and glared at the two young turtles that were perched anxiously on top of the kitchen table.  
  
"—Mad. Uh-oh," Don finished, staring into the dog's eyes. The dog's eyes widened with deadly recognition, and Donnie gasped.  
  
It remembers who I am as well as what I did! Donatello realized in horror. The dog quickly returned its gaze to Raphael, and in one swift heave, shoved him into an open cabinet. Then, after pushing the door closed with its nose, the dog turned back to the other two. It jumped up and put its front paws on the edge of the table. Mike and Donnie quickly scooted to the opposite edge to avoid its snapping jaws.  
  
"We gotta run, or else it'll get us," Donnie said fearfully. Michaelangelo sat pensively and then came up with an idea. Inching forward, he tapped the table, and whistled to the dog.  
  
"Come here, you ugly old puppy dog," Mike said, coaxing it towards them.  
  
"Are you NUTS?! It's getting closer!" Donatello said, pulling his brother back. Simultaneously, the dog pushed itself forward, causing the table to teeter.  
  
"Get ready to jump," Mike told him quickly.  
  
"What are you—"  
  
"Now!"  
  
Mike grabbed his brother's hand and they leapt off the unbalanced table. Both the dog and the table crashed loudly to the floor. The two brothers fled into the living room and hid behind the sofa. The silence became so deafening that, except for the fast and frightened beating of their hearts, the two turtles could hear nothing.  
  
"D—do you think it's gone?" Mike whispered nervously.  
  
"I don't know," Donatello answered back quietly," I hope Raph is alright".  
  
"Look over the back of the couch and see", Mike gestured quietly.  
  
Don shook his head fearfully, but knew they had no other choice. Oh, I HATE dogs, he thought over and over nervously. Very slowly, he clambered onto the sofa and inched his way up towards the top. His eyes reached the top, and he looked into the kitchen. He had only had a second's glance when the dog's face suddenly filled his vision.  
  
Don shouted and jumped back, falling onto the floor. Mike grabbed his brother and pulled him back as the dog jumped onto the back of the sofa and caused it to topple over.  
  
"Come on, we gotta go get Raphael!" Donnie said as they hurried towards the kitchen. Unfortunately, the dog beat them to the entrance and blocked the way. The two little turtles skidded to a halt and fled towards the hall as the dog started to chase them.  
  
"Quick, run into our bedroom and we can lock the door!" Mike shouted. As they ran, Donatello suddenly realized that Leonardo was alone and vulnerable. What if the dog found him? He wouldn't stand a chance! He quickly decided to run past their room and try to reach the door to their master's study.  
  
Mike reached the door, waving madly for his brother to catch up.  
  
"Come on Don, it's catching up to you!" Mike said desperately. To his surprise, he watched his brother fly by the door, closely followed by the dog. He slammed the door shut only seconds before the dog rammed into it, splintering the wood and breaking it down. Mike scrambled into his bed, hiding under his blankets. The dog entered the room and stopped. It slowly scanned the room, unable to find any sort of movement. It slowly searched the room, sniffing under the beds and then moving onto the mattresses. It dragged its nose across the bed, poking and mouthing the sheets with its teeth. Mike froze, feeling the hot breath of the beast coming closer and closer…  
  
  
  
To be continued  
  
  
  
(Ha ha, just kidding!)  
  
The dog was only inches away from his face. He tensed, waiting for the inevitable, when he suddenly heard Don's voice.  
  
" Hey mutt, leave my brother alone!"  
  
Well, he certainly got the dog's attention. The dog turned away from the blanket pile that was Michaelangelo, growled and leapt towards the door.  
  
"Uh-oh"  
  
Donatello ran to the study, closing the door behind him. He struggled to keep the door closed as the dog tried to force its way in, pushing it open inch by inch. With one big push, Donnie managed to close the door and lock it. He hurried to his brother's bedside, finding him asleep.  
  
"Come on Leo, wake up, the dog's trying to get us again," Donnie whispered to his brother frightfully, "come on Leo, wake up!"  
  
Donnie tried with all his might to wake his brother, but had no such luck. Why wasn't he waking up? Had he slipped back into the hibernation thing? How he wished that Master Splinter would suddenly appear and rescue them! The banging at the door increased, and Donnie had to think fast. The dog would get inside any minute now, and Leo needed to be protected.  
  
Acting quickly, he carefully picked up his brother and hid him underneath the cot. He had just gotten himself underneath and out of sight when the dog broke the door open. The dog stepped into the room, sniffing the air. The animal looked around the room with a confused looked on its black face. It seemed to be having difficulties smelling them; most likely because of the scent of jasmine that lingered in the air.  
  
It lurked into the room slowly, like a predator stalking its prey. The noise of its heavy breathing was the only sound Don could hear. He pulled his brother closer to him as he saw the dog coming closer to the cot. He kept himself and his 'comatose' brother as far back away from the edge of the bed as possible, and laid up against the wall. He knew it would be only a matter of time before he and his brother would be discovered. All he could do was wait, and hope that their father would not return to a bloodbath… 


	7. Surprising Discovery...

All Right, new chapter folks, y'all wicked excited?  
  
*Sound of crickets echoes through the room*  
  
Um… Well, heh heh, here's the next chapter. More coming soon, I Promise! (  
  
  
  
Chapter 7  
  
  
  
The sounds of the sewers were silent except for the footsteps of a lone rat as he returned to his home from his endeavors above the surface.  
  
"Hmm, if I had I known I would be returning later than usual, I would have told my sons," Splinter said to himself, " But, I am sure they were able to handle things well without me."  
  
He continued his journey, careful of the small sack that held the food he had been successful in finding for his small family. Looking at his surroundings, he could tell that he was not far from his final destination, maybe about ten minutes or less. All was silent, except for the thoughts that reeled through his head.  
  
'Finding Leonardo awake this morning was certainly a surprise. I do hope that the tea I gave him is helping him deal with the pain. The sleeping agent in the tea will help him get the rest he needs', Splinter reflected, 'Now that he is awake and improving, hopefully Donatello will tell me about what had happened. Leonardo's memory of the attack is very limited.'  
  
His mind went back to the events of earlier that morning…  
  
1 Flashback time! Wickety wickety wickety wickety wooooooooooooooooooooo…  
  
Splinter opened the door to his sons' room and smiled to himself. All three of the young turtles were sound asleep and nestled warmly in their blankets. It pained him to wake them at such an early hour, but he needed to give them their agendas for the morning before he left to find food. Quietly, he walked up to the bunkbeds. Scrunching down, he put a hand on his youngest son's arm.  
  
"Michaelangelo, it is time to wake up", he said softly. Once Splinter was sure that he was fully awake, he stood up and looked at Donatello.  
  
Despite the peacefulness of sleep, Splinter could see the weariness that had plagued the child ever since the attack that his brother had endured three days ago. Something was bothering Donatello, but what it was he could not (or would not) say. Splinter knew that with time he would eventually find out what was troubling his son. He decided to allow Donatello to sleep in for today, in hopes that he might feel better once he had enough rest.  
  
He turned to Raphael's bunk and roused him out of his slumber. As Mike and Raph rose and headed to the kitchen, they noticed that their brother had not been called out of his rest, and made their displeasure known.  
  
"Master, how come you didn't make Donnie wake up?" his two sons objected. Splinter sighed to himself, knowing they would be persistent until he told them. He sat in one of the chairs and put a hand on each of their shoulders.  
  
"Donatello needs to get some extra rest", Splinter explained, "He is to be left alone until he wakes up on his own. Do I make myself clear?"  
  
"Yes, Sensei", they replied obediently. Splinter nodded and gave them the list of chores to be done before he returned with the morning collection. He turned and headed to his study to retrieve his cloak before heading out.  
  
He opened the door and stepped inside, when to his surprise, he saw Leonardo attempting to sit up while trying to fight the pain that wracked his body. When Leo looked up and saw his father standing in the doorway, he stopped his exertions and gave a weak smile.  
  
"Master", He said softly. Splinter walked over to the side of the cot and knelt, smiling lightly.  
  
"How are you feeling, my son?" Splinter asked, putting a hand on the young turtle's shoulder.  
  
"I'm okay", he fibbed, but the sudden look of pain on his face gave him away.  
  
"Do not try to hide your pain Leonardo", Splinter said in mock sternness," I will make you something that will help you feel better."  
  
Splinter stood up and walked to a small table covered in small jars and containers. He made a blend of powders and placed them in a small cup. He then poured hot water into the cup, allowing the mixture to dissolve.  
  
Leonardo sat quietly, watching his master while trying to ignore the pain at the same time. It was so hard, though. It felt like fire stabbing all over his body; he wished so much for it to stop. Then, Splinter came back to the cot and sat on the edge.  
  
"Drink as much of this as possible", Splinter told him as he handed him the steaming cup, " It will help with the pain."  
  
Leo looked at the tea and took a mouthful. His face twisted in reaction to the sourness of the tea, but the tingling warmth soon spread through his body, calming his fired-up pain receptors. Once he was able to drink about half of the beverage, Splinter took the cup and set it on the table beside the cot.  
  
"You should start feeling drowsy in a few minutes. The tea will help you fall asleep", Splinter told him, smiling lightly, " I am glad that you are back with us. Your brothers and I were all quite concerned for you."  
  
Leonardo looked up at the door and then to his father nervously. Splinter noticed this and looked at his son questioningly.  
  
"Master, I'm—How is Donatello?" Leo asked, looking down at his hands, "I know the dog hurt him before I could to stop it. I tried, I really did, but it was too big to fight. I was worried for Don, but then last night, when I woke up and saw him—"  
  
"Calm yourself my son", Splinter said placing his hand over his son's," no one is blaming you for anything."  
  
"So, you're not upset?" Leo asked quietly.  
  
"Of course not", Splinter told him, " I am not upset with any of you. We will talk about this at another time. Get some rest now, my son."  
  
Leo could feel his eyelids get heavier and heavier, so he nodded and laid down. He was sound asleep even before his head hit the pillow. Splinter put a blanket over his son and left the room…  
  
Splinter rounded the corner, expecting to see the door to the lair. His heart skipped a beat at what he saw. Scattered all over the ground was splintered shards of broken wood from the door. He approached cautiously, unsure of what he would find. At the sudden sound of approaching footsteps, he disappeared from view and watched quietly. His worry turned into anger when he saw the dog emerge from the lair, dragging some blankets away with its teeth. When the dog was out of view, Splinter emerged from his hiding place and entered the lair.  
  
The sight he saw was only the beginning of the trouble that was to unfold…  
  
  
  
(Yes I am Evil! Muahahahaaa *cough * *hack *) 


	8. The Aftermath...Its only the beginning.

Chapter Eight!  
  
The lair was frighteningly silent... and looked as though a tornado had struck it. Toppled and shredded furniture was strewn throughout the kitchen and living room. Broken wood was scattered in the hallway, and four young turtles were nowhere to be seen...  
  
Splinter walked into the kitchen, careful of the broken glass that peppered the floor. He set the food bag down on the counter and turned to go look for his sons. Splinter was about to go into the living room when he heard a small noise behind him. He turned to find Raphael trying to push his way out of the cabinet.  
  
"Raphael, what happened here?" Splinter asked as he righted the table and helped his son out of his prison.  
  
"That dog got into the lair and came after us", Raphael said.  
  
"Do you know where your brothers might have run off to?" Splinter asked.  
  
`I--I don't know", He answered.  
  
When Splinter heard this, he started to worry. What if they ran off into the sewers? Who knew where they could be by now? What if the dog injured one of them?  
  
He quickly stopped himself from panicking. His sons needed him now, and he could not fail them. Once he re-centered his thoughts, he brought his son into the living room, away from the broken glass. He looked around the den for any sign of his other sons, but found nothing.  
  
"Raphael, I need to go find your brothers", Splinter said, " stay here and do not go anywhere, understand me?" Raphael nodded quickly, and Splinter started his search of the lair.  
  
He first entered the boys' bedroom, scanning the area when he saw a small pile of blankets in the top bunk move. Splinter slowly approached the bunkbed and lifted the blankets. Michaelangelo's face peered out from underneath.  
  
"The dog is gone my son", Splinter said softly, " you can come out now."  
  
"It's gone? For real?" Michaelangelo asked worriedly.  
  
"Yes it is, Michaelangelo, there is no need to be afraid", Splinter reassured him. Mike conceded and came out from under the blankets, letting Splinter take him down.  
  
"Oh no", Mike said as his father lifted him out of the pile, "The dog chased Don down the hall, and Raph is still stuck in the cabinet--"  
  
"Calm down, my son" Splinter said kindly, "Raphael is sitting in the living room, and I am going to go look for Donatello and Leonardo." At hearing this, Mikey wrapped his arms around Splinter's neck and hugged him, grateful that he had returned and that everything was going to be okay... hopefully.  
  
"I hope Leo and Don're okay", Mikey said nervously, " that dog was really scary."  
  
"I am sure they are", Splinter said," Go and sit in the den while I go look for them." Mike headed to the living room, leaving Splinter to continue his search.  
  
Donatello continued to hide underneath the cot, still holding onto his brother protectively. The dog had disappeared about five minutes ago, but he was worried that it would come back. The dog had tried to get them so many times, and at one point almost did. Donnie was terrified. Never before had he been so scared in his entire life.  
  
He kept back towards the wall, hoping the dog wouldn't return. He tried desperately to wake Leonardo, but to no avail. Why wouldn't he wake up? Just last night he had seen him awake and talking. Was he getting worse? If there was something Donatello wanted more than anything in the world, it was for his brother to be okay...  
  
Splinter walked by his study when he heard a low squeak, like a stifled sneeze. He paused, listening. He knew it to be Donatello. He went to open the door when he heard something else... Donatello was talking to his `comatose' brother.  
  
"Leo, I...I hope you get better soon. I--I'm sorry for letting this happen to you. Its all my fault--if I hadn't tripped...you wouldn't have had to rescue me. I'm *sniff* I'm sorry, Leonardo", Donnie said to his brother repentantly.  
  
Splinter thought for a moment and shook his head. `Donatello is blaming himself for what happened to Leonardo', Splinter realized, 'He feels as though it was he himself who did this.'  
  
Donatello could hear movement outside of the door and cringed, pulling his brother closer to him. Why did he have to sneeze at that exact time, of all times? `No matter what', Donnie told himself, `I'm not gonna let Leo get hurt again because of me.' The door suddenly creaked open, and he gasped. Could it be the dog coming back to get them? The fear gnawed at his stomach, and he felt sick with fear.  
  
"Hey, what's going on?" Donnie snapped his head down and saw his brother awake in his arms.  
  
"Shh, the dog's coming back in", Donnie whispered silently, signaling to his brother to be quiet. Leo nodded his head and huddled beside his younger brother. They kept as still as they could, dreadful of what might be coming inside the room.  
  
Splinter slowly opened the door and entered, looking around the room. His gaze stopped at the cot in the corner, and he sensed the frightened presence of his sons. `I had a feeling they would hide here', Splinter thought to himself. The master knelt down and looked under the bed. He saw two short, purple tails from a bandanna... and then two very tear-streaked little faces.  
  
"Donatello, Leonardo," Splinter whispered. The young turtles looked up slowly, their eyes full of fear.  
  
"You can come out, my sons, I am here," Splinter said softly. Leonardo slowly crawled out from under the cot, but the other young turtle shook his head fearfully.  
  
"The-the dog might come back! It--It might be trying to get us again! I don't wanna sound rude Master, but I-I'm not moving anywhere until I know that dog's gone for good. I really don't like dogs," Donatello said timidly. He was trying to hold back the tears, but they trickled down despite his efforts.  
  
Splinter repositioned onto one knee and sighed. Splinter knew about his son's fear of dogs. The fear had always been rather strong since their first encounter with one when they were only three. The attack from the previous day and this episode just made that fear ten times worse.  
  
"I know dogs frighten you. I was worried myself when I saw the dog come out of the lair. I was concerned that you four might have been hurt. I was relieved to see that the dog only made a mess of the lair-nothing more. It is all right, Donatello, the dog is gone now; Come out my son", Splinter said gently, and offered him his hand. There was a long pause, but Splinter breathed a small sigh of relief when he saw one small hand emerge slowly from under the cot and another latching onto his hand. Donatello crawled out from under the cot, visibly shaking, but otherwise all right.  
  
Most of the day was spent cleaning and repairing the damage the dog had inflicted on their home. It took a lot of hard work, but they finally finished the work a few hours later.  
  
Later that evening, after lair repairs were done, the turtles were allowed to have their free time. Leonardo and Donatello put the television on, and Raphael and Michaelangelo tried to beat each other at tic-tac-toe. Splinter sat in his chair, reading his book and keeping an eye on the turtles.  
  
"How do you feel, Leo?" Don asked carefully.  
  
"I feel a lot better than earlier', he replied with a shrug.  
  
Donnie started to relax as he and his brother watched the TV. Seeing that Leonardo was getting better took some of the weight off his shoulders. He didn't have to worry about that Dog ever again. Or so he thought...  
  
A commercial suddenly came up about a horror movie--called CUJO. Horrible scenes of a dog attacking someone trapped in a car flashed across the screen. The two turtles on the couch looked at each other in fearful remembrance.  
  
"Don, you DID tell Splinter everything that had happened, right?" Leo asked. Don mentally slapped himself. He never told Master Splinter about what had happened. He didn't want Sensei to find out that the attack was his fault, because if he did, he might get disappointed with Donnie or punish him. He had to hide the truth, even if that meant lying to his brother as well.  
  
"Um, ye-yeah, I told him everything", Donatello lied. "He knows what happened."  
  
"You sure? Maybe I should go and--"  
  
"NO!" Donnie said nervously, " I mean--no, you don't need to, he already knows."  
  
"Oh, okay", Leo replied. He felt suspicious about his brother for some reason, call it a hunch. He was acting a bit strangely, and whenever he mentioned the dog attack, Don kept avoiding the topic. It bugged him, but he wasn't sure why.  
  
`I'll go ask to Master Splinter, just to be sure', Leo thought to himself. Leo climbed down from the couch and slowly approached his sensei, keeping an eye on the couch. Splinter saw his son approaching him and set his book down.  
  
"Master Splinter, can I ask you a question?" Leo said quietly.  
  
`Yes, my son, what--"  
  
"Not here" Leo said nervously, " um, out in the kit--"  
  
"Alright, Leonardo" Splinter told him, " we can go to the kitchen and talk."  
  
Leonardo and Master Splinter stepped into the kitchen, and sat down. Splinter could see something was bothering his eldest son, and looked at him questioningly.  
  
"What is it you want to ask me, my son?" Splinter asked the young turtle.  
  
"Master Splinter, did Donatello tell you everything that had happened? Well, at the dog attack", Leo asked, rubbing one of the bandages on his arm.  
  
"No my son, your brother has told me nothing", Splinter replied, shaking his head. When Leonardo heard this, he shot a look toward the couch, and then to his father.  
  
"Oh, okay", Leo said, trying not to look surprised, " Thank you Sensei."  
  
"Certainly, My son", Splinter said. As he watched Leonardo leave the table, he could tell that whatever was bothering him just increased tenfold. Something was going to come to a head, and it was coming soon.  
  
Leonardo went back to the couch and shot Donatello a steely glare.  
  
"You lied to me!" Leo said to his brother angrily. Don looked to his brother, caught completely off-guard by the accusation.  
  
"What?" Don said nervously, " n--no I didn't".  
  
"You said that you had told Master Splinter about the dog attack. He said you didn't!" Leo's face grew red with anger. How could his brother lie to him--to Master Splinter?! He couldn't believe had tried to deceive him. Splinter needed to know this.  
  
Donatello's face, however, grew red from embarrassment. He was caught! Now their father was going to find out! Raphael and Michaelangelo heard the squabble and entered the conversation.  
  
"Don, you lied to Splinter about me too! What was with that?" Raphael quipped. Donatello could feel the uneasy feeling in his stomach get worse, and he had to think of what to say--fast.  
  
"You lied before?!" Mike said in astonishment. Leo looked ready to pounce on his brother and drag him to their Master. He wasn't going to let his brother get away with something like this.  
  
Don had to think of an excuse...something reasonable and believable. So he blurted out an answer with out thinking.  
  
"I didn't want to say anything...until you got better!"  
  
"As I recall", a voice suddenly said, " You had said on Several occasions that you could not remember."  
  
Donatello cringed as he turned to see Splinter standing in the doorway, with his arms folded. His face was a mixture of anger and disappointment. He had heard everything!  
  
"Master Splinter, Donatello lied to me, and about Raph, and--"  
  
"Yes, I know", Splinter replied.  
  
"You're in trouble now", Leo said, looking towards his brother.  
  
"You didn't have to say anything", Don muttered under his breath. Leo heard him and looked at his brother.  
  
"You should have!" Leo told him heatedly.  
  
"Why don't you--"  
  
"I can't believe--"  
  
"Enough, both of you."  
  
The two turtles paused and looked to their sensei.  
  
"But Sensei", they both started.  
  
Their father had heard enough, though. Splinter put a hand up, silencing the room. He turned with a stern look to Donatello and Leonardo.  
  
"Both of you, go into my study, sit, and do not speak to one another", Splinter ordered. His two sons stood up and hesitantly walked into the study. Splinter watched them leave and was about to leave when he looked at the small clock on the table. It was past the boys' bedtime. He turned towards Raphael and Michaelangelo, who were still sitting on the floor, looking at him. He gave them a small smile and approached, softening his face.  
  
"You two go to bed, it is getting a bit late, understood?" Splinter told them. The two turtles nodded and got up from their seats on the floor. He hugged them and bid them goodnight when...  
  
"Sensei, what are you going to do?" Mike asked quietly. Splinter knelt in front of his two young sons.  
  
"Do not worry about it. This is between your brothers and I", Splinter told him. Then he turned to his other son.  
  
"Raphael, was what you said about Donatello the truth?" Splinter asked. Raphael nodded his head slowly. Splinter nodded once and sent them on their way.  
  
Splinter approached his study, shaking his head. Donatello had been caught lying...many times. His sons knew that he sternly disapproved of being dishonest. The speeches he had given on the subject, he had sorta hoped, had persuaded them not to do such a thing. He rarely had to deal with lying, but when he did, he disliked every minute of it.  
  
It pained him to punish them in such a way, but he knew that it was the most effective punishment to teach the turtles right from wrong. He hoped that it would not come to that, but only time and the truth could tell... 


	9. Truth and Consequences...

Sorry for the long wait everyone! Real life is SO annoying! It's been a while, but it's worth it! ( Many Kudos to Kali Gargoyle for her help in editing my story!  
  
Chapter Nine!  
  
Splinter entered the study, closing the door behind him. Leonardo and Donatello sat quietly, each shooting looks of resentment toward each other. They both looked up as Splinter took his seat on the large cushion on the floor. He sat for a moment, centering his thoughts and focusing on the issue of concern. Then, he opened his eyes and looked at his two sons sitting before him.  
  
"Rather than discussing the current situation at hand, we are going to talk about what had happened the day that the dog had come after you two."  
  
"Master?" The two turtles said, confused as to why.  
  
"Neither of you told us what happened", Splinter explained, "now we are going to find out the events of the story—the entire story."  
  
Splinter was about to say something else when he heard a soft noise from outside the door. He frowned as he quickly knew who it was…  
  
"Raphael and Michaelangelo, come into the room at once", Splinter said firmly. A second or two later, Mike and Raph hesitantly entered the room, shamefaced from being caught trying to listen in on the conversation. Splinter looked at them in silent admonishment, and then regarded them all carefully. He thought for a moment and then indicated for Mike and Raph to sit down as well.  
  
"I believe that since this involves all of us, we shall all be part of this little 'family meeting'", Splinter said.  
  
Donatello felt a sudden dread wash over him. He wished that he were anywhere but in that room right now. Having all his brothers there as well made it even worse. He knew there would be no way to escape the fact that he had been caught lying, and he knew that what was eventually coming to him was going to be well-deserved. The sudden sound of his name caught him off-guard, and he shrank a little as he looked up to Splinter.  
  
"Donatello, please tell us, from the beginning, what happened that afternoon", his father said to him," and do not leave anything out." Donnie nodded obediently, and with a hidden sigh, started to tell the nightmare that had been plaguing him for the past week.  
  
"Well, we were all playing tag", Don said uneasily, "I guess we weren't looking where we were going… We were all chasing each other around… I thought I could get away, but then Mike caught up with me over near the conduit pi-" Don immediately clamped his mouth shut and cast his eyes to the floor. Splinter's eyes snapped towards his direction, and he frowned slightly.  
  
"The conduit pipe?" their master said as he looked at each of the turtles, "You all know better that that pipe is very much out of the limits that I gave to you."  
  
"We know we're not allowed to go that far, but it was an accident", Don confessed, "We didn't realize how far we went 'til we saw the pipe." The young turtle was obviously embarrassed, his face darkening to a reddish hue. The Sensei brought his hand under his student's chin, lifted his face and looked straight into his eyes.  
  
"I am sure you didn't disobey the rule on purpose, but there is no excuse for not being careful of your surroundings. I will discuss that with all of you at a later time, but now… continue telling what happened," Splinter told the young turtle, pulling his hand back.  
  
Donatello's entire body trembled from nerves, and he wished that the ground beneath him would swallow him up. He didn't want to talk about the attack, especially in front of his brothers, but he knew Splinter would not take no for an answer.  
  
"Well, me and—I mean, Mike and I saw where we were and started to go back, when the dog came out from the corner and started growling at us", Donnie continued, "that was when Raph and Leo caught up to us. They told us we had gone out of the boundary lines when—when the dog came after us." Donnie felt sick to his stomach, like he was going to throw up. He folded his arms, hoping for the nausea to pass.  
  
"Is Donatello's assessment of the attack correct?" Splinter asked the other three turtles. When they nodded yes, Splinter then turned back to Donatello. There was a slight pause, and Don grew nervous.  
  
"Now…we will talk about the lying." Donnie kept his gaze downward, too frightened to see the look on his Master's face. The silence in the room was deafening, until Splinter spoke.  
  
"Donatello, is it true that you lied about not knowing the events of the attack", Splinter said, sounding more as a statement than a question. As Donatello had just demonstrated, he knew everything that had happened. Sadly, Don nodded.  
  
" Hai, Sensei." At that answer, Splinter asked another question.  
  
"Is it true that you lied about Raphael stealing your blanket last night, to avoid the penalties for fighting?"  
  
"Hai, Sensei", he replied slowly. The shock on his brother's faces increased as the questioning continued. Splinter frowned slightly and pressed on.  
  
"Is it true that you lied to your brother about telling me the truth?"  
  
Donnie wouldn't—he couldn't…but he had to tell the truth. He hated the audience of his brothers, but he knew there was no escaping it. After an infinite second, he slowly nodded his head, and answered:  
  
"Hai, Sensei."  
  
Splinter sat back, breathing out slowly, thinking. 'This astonishes me. I could never imagine Donatello ever being so dishonest. He has always told me the truth, even if it resulted in him being punished for doing something he shouldn't have. There must be a hidden motive, but what…?'  
  
Splinter looked down at his son and then looked to the others. Donatello was due for a good talking-to, and they needed to do so alone.  
  
"Leonardo, Raphael and Michaelangelo, you are dismissed. Go to bed and get some rest, it is late."  
  
The brothers looked almost disappointed to miss what was going to happen, but they knew better than to argue. They stood, bowed, and left the room, leaving Donatello sitting alone before their not-very-pleased father.  
  
Once Splinter was sure that they were gone, he turned a stern eye towards his son. Donatello felt the nausea kick back in, and tried to face his Master, but it was hard...  
  
"Why did you lie to me about what happened? Out of the four of you, you are the one I would least expect to do such a thing as to lie," Splinter scolded, looking at his son in disappointment. Donnie tried to look up, but his eyes wouldn't let him.  
  
'This is it', Don thought to himself, 'I'm gonna get punished for lying AND for what happened to Leo. I'm probably gonna get shamed, or put on display as a lesson, or… or… no, he wouldn't send me away…would he?'  
  
Donatello knew that Leonardo was, in a sense, the gifted son that Splinter always approved of. Always practicing, always listening, always trying for perfection. Would something like this result in him being forced to—to leave?!  
  
He was thinking to himself so much that he didn't hear his master say his name. A sharp clack sound brought him out of his trance. Splinter had snapped his fingers to get his student's attention back. Splinter sighed and Donnie lowered his head.  
  
"Donatello, I am not pleased with you for what you have done. You know what you did was wrong, and so you must be punished for that," Splinter told him. Donatello nodded his head slowly and sighed sadly.  
  
"I'm sorry Master, I just- I didn't mean- please don't send me away," Donnie said before he broke down sobbing. He drew his legs up, resting his head on his knees and cried, unable to stop the flow of tears. He felt like everything was crashing down around him. He felt as though he was a failure to his family, and didn't deserve anything but to be put to shame for his behavior.  
  
He shrank back as he felt hands lift him, but gave in as the strong grip kept hold. He sat with his father much like he had done only a few days ago, but this time he did not feel comfort there- he felt like a disgrace. He couldn't dare to look into his master's eyes for fear of what he might say.  
  
"Donatello, where did you ever get an idea such as that? I would never send any of you away, no matter what you have done," Splinter said, still having a kind of shocked look about him. Donnie wiped the tears from his eyes and looked up at his father. He had a look of both surprise and sympathy.  
  
"You *sniff* you wouldn't? I thought after I let that dog hurt Leo-" Donnie stopped in mid-sentence, hoping that Splinter hadn't heard that last remark. He heard him however, and turned his son to face him.  
  
"Donatello, are you blaming yourself for what happened to Leonardo?" Splinter asked in a hushed voice. Donnie looked away and nodded. The Sensei sighed softly as he quickly figured out what was going on with his son.  
  
"That is why you have been having nightmares since the attack," Splinter presumed, "you feel as though it was yourself who caused the dog to attack your brother. That is also why you did not want me to find out." Donnie looked up in surprise.  
  
"You knew? But how-" Donnie stuttered before his master silenced him.  
  
"A father always knows when one of his children is hiding something from him," Splinter eyed him, "and a father also knows when his child going through something that they know they cannot handle all alone."  
  
"I-I was scared that you were gonna be angry with me for what happened to Leo. I didn't know what you would do once you found out," Donnie admitted uncomfortably.  
  
"My son, never feel guilty for something that is not of your control. I am not angry with you because you couldn't help your brother," Splinter told him gently, "What did you think I was going to do?"  
  
Donnie blushed lightly and fidgeted with his mask tails. He was uncomfortable about the topic in question, but even more embarrassed about his answer.  
  
"I—um, I thought you were gonna—I don't know. Sh-shame me, or use me as an ex- example for the others, or—or…" Donnie couldn't finish his sentence.  
  
"You thought I was going to punish you and send you away, didn't you," Splinter quietly finished for him. Donnie could feel his face become redder, and he nodded slightly.  
  
"No, no I would never do that. I care about you far too much to ever think of doing such a thing", Splinter told him reassuringly. The young turtle bit his quivering lower lip, feeling the tearful sobs return. Splinter embraced him, rocking slowly. He could see the torment his son was going through, and wished there were some way that he could make it all go away.  
  
"I thought what I did was unforgivable", Donnie whispered between sniffs, "I thought you would be mad at me for what I had done."  
  
"What exactly did you do that would be considered 'unforgivable?" Splinter questioned him.  
  
"Well, it was—letting the dog attack Leo…isn't it?" Don answered uncertainly.  
  
"You did not 'let' the dog hurt Leonardo, my son," Splinter replied, shaking his head, "the only individual who could have prevented anything from occurring was the dog itself... not you."  
  
"But, I—I thought it was me. My ankle, and if I hadn't—then Leo wouldn't have had to—".  
  
"No, listen to me now, my son. You are not at any fault for the attack. The confrontation with the dog was inevitable", Splinter said, tilting his son's face to look into his eyes, "Your feelings of guilt and fear are what are causing you so much anguish. You need to let them go and not blame yourself".  
  
"It's so hard though. I can't stop dreaming about what had happened," Don said sadly, " I haven't slept good at all since the attack."  
  
Splinter patted his shell understandingly and continued to talk, feeling the tension slowly leaving his son.  
  
"Guilt does that to you. It makes you feel like you did something wrong, though it may not be true, and you get this uneasy feeling about yourself", Splinter explained, "like that strange feeling you have in the pit of your stomach." There was no hiding anything from Splinter. " It is not something to be ashamed of. Everyone feels some sort of guilt sometimes. Leonardo himself is feeling a bit of guilt about what had happened. He mentioned it to me early this morning."  
  
"You saw him awake?" Donnie said in surprise.  
  
"Yes, much to my relief," Splinter nodded, "I had gone into my study to check on him one last time, and I found him attempting to sit up. He told me some of what had happened. He also told me about you going into the study to see him during the middle of the night."  
  
Donnie's eyes popped open and he glanced up at his Sensei sheepishly. 'Splinter knew I went into the study', Donatello thought morosely, 'Great, now I'm in even more trouble now'. Splinter cleared his throat, and Donnie looked up at him.  
  
"You know not to go into my study when I am not there. But, since your intentions were merely out of concern, I will not be critical of it. But as I was saying, Leonardo told a small amount of what had happened. He also told me of how he felt guilty about letting the dog get the better of him…and not being able to keep you from getting hurt."  
  
"Really? I didn't know that," Donnie replied quietly.  
  
"He did," Splinter nodded, "I will tell you what I told him. I told Leonardo that he should not feel sorry for what had happened. Understand Donatello, neither of you are at fault for the dog attack. The dog was much larger than both of you and much stronger. There wasn't anything either of you could have done to stop the attack from occurring. Sometimes, things just do not go in our favor. I myself have felt some guilt, once in a while, about many things."  
  
"You have? But I thought you never did anything wrong," Donnie said, his red teary eyes wide in surprise. Splinter held back a smile and shook his head.  
  
"No my son. I myself am not free of fault or mistakes. I just choose to look at them as a new opportunity to learn. That is how life is: you take it one step at a time and learn what you can from your mistakes. 'Possess the right thinking. Only then can you receive the gifts of strength, knowledge…and peace'. Do you understand, Donatello?"  
  
"Yes Sensei," Donnie said, bowing his head, "I'm sorry about not telling you the truth."  
  
"Your guilt and fear is most likely what persuaded you to not be honest with what you said. However, you need to own up to what you did wrong, and be punished for it", Splinter said, eyeing his young son.  
  
"Yes, Sensei", Donnie said sadly.  
  
  
  
The Sensei was not one to be lenient with liars, and made his point quite clearly. He took his son over his knee and prepared to deal out the punishment. Splinter hated doing this part of the castigation. Spanking was more an embarrassing ordeal for the child than a correcting one. But, he knew that this was the sternest punishment he could give, and it was one that the turtles did not make light of. He paused for a second to think, and then he continued with his fatherly duty.  
  
Donatello knew what was coming. He tensed, ready for the penalty that he thought he was getting, when he only received about five 'not-really- painful' swats instead of the usual ten that was given. Once the punishment was done, a blushing Donatello sat in his place again and looked up at his master in confusion. Wasn't the consequence for lying always the same? Why did he make it different? Donnie wasn't sure what to say.  
  
"You are wondering why I did not punish you as sternly as I normally would?" Splinter could see his confusion.  
  
"I- I don't understand—well, I mean, I understand the question, I just don't—I don't know—" Donnie stuttered, " Well, I know it's usually—I mean, the punishment is *gulp* is always, um—"  
  
"Yes, in most cases, I give you--and your brothers--a spanking whenever you are caught or guilty of being dishonest," Splinter started after silencing his son, " However, in this case, your lying was brought on by your guilt and fear of being punished for something that was not your fault. That, I took under consideration."  
  
Donnie felt his face get hotter, and Splinter could see his student's face turning a deeper shade of crimson. The rat smiled sympathetically at his young and embarrassed son.  
  
"I also knew that you could not handle being punished in front of your brothers, because of how easily you get embarrassed," Splinter said, tapping his reddened face lightly. Don gave his Sensei a timid smile and nodded slightly.  
  
"The reason I did punish you was because you let your lying go much too far," Splinter eyed his son, " You should have told the truth. I would have understood."  
  
Donatello nodded and fidgeted a little. " I was too scared of what you would think. I thought you would be disappointed with me," He explained.  
  
"I am more disappointed in the fact that rather than coming forward and telling me what was going on, you decided either to say nothing or to lie. You can always come and talk to me if something is troubling you. That is what a parent is for, my son", Splinter said softly, " to guide you in life and to make sure you choose the right path—and learn from your mistakes. Understand?"  
  
Donatello nodded lightly and hugged his Sensei. He could now feel the uneasy feeling disappear, and the weight being lifted from his shoulders. His feelings of guilt were now gone.  
  
"Yes, Master. I feel better about the guilt, but I'm still a little nervous about that dog," Donnie said quietly.  
  
"I know, my son. Your fear of dogs is quite strong," Splinter replied kindly, " I do not believe we need to worry about the dog revisiting anytime soon."  
  
"Why is that?" Donnie asked. Splinter adjusted himself on the cushion and looked at his son intently.  
  
"Well, when I was returning from this afternoon's collection, I saw the dog up near the surface. She was carrying something very important in her teeth. Can you guess what it was?"  
  
"The blankets?" the young turtle suggested. The rat merely shook his head and smiled softly.  
  
"She was carrying her pups", Splinter told him, "You see, Donatello, when you and your brothers had gone towards the conduit pipe, you were unknowingly getting dangerously close to her young. She thought that you had wanted to cause harm to them. That was why she attacked; she was worried for her children."  
  
"Oh, kinda like—like how you worry about us", Donnie said with a crooked smile, "You always make sure that we stay safe."  
  
"Correct", Splinter nodded, " She cares about her children just as I do about you and your brothers. Our reasons for doing what we do are very similar. We both want to make sure that our young ones are safe, and sometimes we must do something unpleasant to let you know we care about your safety."  
  
Donnie nodded understandingly and suppressed a yawn. The exhaustion was quite apparent on the young turtle's face, so the Sensei decided that the lecture would thus draw to a close for the night.  
  
"Now, it is late—and past your bedtime," Splinter told his young son.  
  
"Already? Do I have to?" Donnie demurred.  
  
"Yes you do", Splinter replied in mock admonishment, "sleep well, my son". He nudged his son from his lap and gave him a pat on the shell to get him going. Donatello bowed once and headed to his room. He went to bed, grateful that the whole messy ordeal was finally put to rest. 


	10. Epilogue!!!

Epilogue!  
  
(Two updates in one night?! It's a miracle!)  
  
  
  
"Hey guys, look at what I found", April replied as she entered the lair. In her arms was the cutest little puppy ever known to man. Michaelangelo scurried over to see the puppy, making cutesy noises and nuzzling its small snout with his own. Raph looked up from the paper and snorted, rolling his eyes. Leo stood in the kitchen, laughing at his brother's antics.  
  
Donatello was sitting in his shop, trying to repair the toaster that had died once again.  
  
"Hey, Donnie!" Mike said from behind him. Don turned to find the floppy face of a puppy filling his entire area of vision.  
  
"Gah! Get 'im away from me!" Donnie shouted before falling backwards from his chair and landing on his shell. He sat up on the floor and looked at the dog in disdain.  
  
"Aw, come on, Don, its just a cute lil' puppy-wuppy!" Mike cooed.  
  
"I told you, get it outta here!" His light New York accent started creeping out. Mike started talking to the puppy, and Don grew more and more irritated.  
  
"What was that? You want Uncle Don to hold you?" Mike joked. Don lost his patience with his annoying brother and glared at the small 'Guardian of Hades'.  
  
"I told you Mike, get that damn dog away—"  
  
"Michaelangelo, please take the dog out into the living room." Splinter suddenly appeared in the doorway. Don blushed after letting his sensei catch him swearing and looked at the floor. Mike pouted and departed from the shop. Splinter then offered his son a hand, and Don accepted shyly.  
  
"I just…I still don't like dogs".  
  
Splinter merely patted his shoulder and smiled softly.  
  
"I know, my son, I know."  
  
  
  
The End!!! 


End file.
